THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409290173
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 123 lines
A CANAL DOWN High Street? A naval theme park on the waterfront? How about a Ferris wheel, waterspout and a tall ship dotting the city's waterfront?
They seemed like crazy dreams until Ray Gindroz, an urban designer, got hold of them.
Gindroz, who was contracted to pull the different dreams into one large cityscape, unveiled his vision of the city's future this week. He met with the dreamers to discuss his design and to clear the path for rebuilding. City officials hoped the drawings would spark even more excitement. They also wanted to make sure they hadn't missed any ideas, said Matthew James, Economic Development director.
``I have been pleasantly surprised by the fact that we've been able to incorporate so many elements of what people have suggested,'' James said. ``The final plan will be inclusive of as many ideas as possible.''
Once it's complete, the city's economic development department will use the plan to sell the vision to private developers who might want to build here.
Alfred Morgan, a retired mechanic, suggested putting a canal on High Street to draw boaters.
But rather than split the city and stop traffic with a large canal, Gindroz turned the end of High Street into a large harbor where boats can dock and the ferry can drop tourists. To anchor that harbor, Gindroz proposed building a permanent Portside building and festival place.
Gindroz, who wants to keep the plan flexible, didn't include a naval theme park in his design. But he did place a hotel and convention center in the area where Philip J. Parker, a local minister, suggests building the $200 million to $300 million park that also would include a convention center.
Parker hopes to sell the theme park to outside investors, city officials and others in the community. He says he's looking for a Disney or a Rockefeller to buy his idea for ``Navytown USA'' and then build it on downtown's waterfront.
Parker's idea is to build a huge round pavilion with moving sidewalks and six large exhibits, including an ongoing battle of the ironclads, the Monitor and the Merrimac.
Other exhibits would include an audio-visual tour of an aircraft carrier in which motorized cars would carry visitors through the ship.
``England adopted a theme of portraying the naval history of their country,'' Parker said. ``I thought, if the British can do it, why can't we?''
Councilman Cameron C. Pitts' home has a yard filled with pagodas, Tiki gods and other unusual art. He believes the city only needs a few strong landmarks, a huge tower, a strong nautical theme and lots of movement downtown to attract tourists and to set apart Portsmouth from other Hampton Roads cities.
Pitts envisions the tower on the waterfront in the shape of a huge yardarm with a rotating restaurant on the top. He hopes to get a 180-foot waterspout installed at Swimming Point. And at some point visible to Waterside and Nauticus, Pitts wants a private investor to erect a huge and colorful Ferris wheel. He also has visions of a tall ship on the downtown waterfront.
Pitts hopes to create a carnival-like atmosphere downtown. He wants movement attractions that will entice tourists to come across the water from Norfolk.
Gindroz has taken elements of Pitts' plans and included them in his drawings. While Gindroz doesn't include a huge tower because he says it could block some of the other sites along the waterfront, he did put a tall ship on the water between the old Coast Guard Station and the end of High Street.
Gindroz also wants to improve the view for visitors as they come out of the Downtown Tunnel. In his drawings, a public park stands along Crawford Parkway. The park includes Pitts' Ferris wheel, as well as a volleyball net, picnic tables and a small pond.
Gindroz has encouraged city officials to turn the failed condominium project, Kings Crossing, into a luxury suite hotel.
He also suggests finding a developers for an upscale inn and marina where the Holiday Inn now stands. Next to that, a neighborhood that fits in with the style of Olde Towne, Gindroz suggests.
In the city's MidCity area, Gindroz has followed business owners' dreams, by rebuilding the city's once thriving retail center. His idea is to clean up the area, including the public housing around MidCity Shopping Center. He wants to intersperse owner-occupied homes into the neighborhoods.
Gindroz hopes to include governmental offices and private offices in the area.
The urban design group also has expanded on the Scott's Creek Marina plan by including elements of the surrounding neighborhood. Gindroz hopes the city can turn the Elks Lodge into an office and retail building for boaters who would dock along Scott's Creek.
With a marina at the end of the waterway, the Army Corps of Engineers would likely dredge the entire creek, bringing navigable water up to London Boulevard. The boats on the creek would be another attractive view for passing motorists.
Gindroz also hopes to strengthen the surrounding neighborhoods of Park View, West Park View and Shea Terrace, where some of the homes are deteriorating. Strictly enforcing building codes in the area, Gindroz believes, will help the neighborhoods rebound. MEMO: [For a related story, see page 11 of The Currents for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
WHERE WILL THE CITY GO?
Staff photos by RICHARD L. DUNSTON
Philip J. Parker, a local minister, suggests building the $200
million to $300 million nautical theme park.
Cameron C. Pitts believes the city needs some strong landmarks.
Why not build a canal on High Street, asks Alfred Morgan.
Staff photo by JIM WALKER
Matthew James, economic development director, was pleasantly
surprised.
Staff illustration by SAM HUNDLEY
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Months ago we asked you for your suggestions on the city's
future. Now urban designer Ray Gindroz has offered his. We'd like to
hear your response. Call us at 640-5555, then press 4332 (IDEA).
You'll have 60 seconds to comment. Please leave your name, address
and daytime phone number, which we need for confirmation and in case
of questions. Comments will run in the Sunday, Oct. 9 edition of The
Currents.
by CNB